"And burbled as it came!"

my grandfather has most poems memorized. like hundreds. he has a "poem a day" book that he has had in his house since i can remember. he recited "the crystal stair" at my brother kevin's wedding breakfast. it was hilarious and touching and he was just the cutest thing i'd ever seen.
thus, my mother also is a huge proponant for literature & poetry & we all memorized poems in childhood. she has video of a little row of blonde children repeating "stick to your task til it sticks to you." in college i had that poem on my peg board to remind me to stick with it!
an extended lucas family favorite is the jabberwocky. i am 100% positive every cousin in our family can recite at least a line or two. if we all sat down and tried, between a few we could probably recite the whole thing with little encouragement.
and proof that things you memorize in childhood stay with you, and can show themselves in any situation, today (i'm ashamed to admit) i saw someone, kinda fatter and clumsier and grumpy, barreling down the sidewalk and thought "and burbled as it came!" haha.

for your enjoyment.
the jabberywocky, by lewis carroll:

`Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.
"Beware the Jabberwock, my son!
The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!
Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun
The frumious Bandersnatch!"

He took his vorpal sword in hand:
Long time the manxome foe he sought --
So rested he by the Tumtum tree,
And stood awhile in thought.

And, as in uffish thought he stood,
The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,
Came whiffling through the tulgey wood,
And burbled as it came!
One, two! One, two! And through and through
The vorpal blade went snicker-snack!
He left it dead, and with its head
He went galumphing back.

"And, has thou slain the Jabberwock?
Come to my arms, my beamish boy!
O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!'
He chortled in his joy.

`Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe